As winter continues it could be time to look for that new wetsuit to keep you warm in the cold waters. Boards will, over the coming weeks and months, present you with the top wetsuits and other products to see you through all weathers.

Ianovated Hand Warming Suit

RRP £250

Because of the unique component parts we have developed we have to coordinate three factories in China. The wetsuit itself is put together by a very well establish and reliable manufacturer. As we make no secret of the fact that we are a young “Fred in a shed company” we are aware that most our pioneers are surprised when they see the wetsuits and realise they were not made in our shed.

Check out the thread on the Boards forum.

The design specification to which these wetsuits are made is detailed below

Neoprene glued and blind stitched – The suit uses the latest supper flexible CR neoprene. The body section is 5mm thick and the arms and legs are 4mm thick. There is a nylon lining throughout including on the seals at the neck, wrist and ankles to facilitate an easy entry and exit from the suit. So that there is no water flushing through the seams they are glued and plus blind stitched along one of the nylon lined sides.

The suit comes in two options:

Nylon double-line suit

• The body arms and legs have a nylon covered lining on both the inside and outside of the suit for extra durability.
• The only external smooth skin neoprene finish is the small seal sections around the wrists ankles and neck to facilitate the option to turn the these inwards and create a smooth skin seal against the users skin.
• The blind stitching is on the outside of the suit for all nylon to nylon seams but on the inside where the seam is with a smooth skin seal on the outside.

Smooth Skin Suit

• The exterior of the suit is just the smooth skin rubber neoprene finish to avoid any water absorption which in turn causes wind chill.
• A nylon lining throughout the inside for ease of entry and exit and to create a base for the blind stitching which is also on the inside.
• The seams on the outside are tidily glued to ensure there is no water flushing through them.
• However the section under the crotch is nylon lined on both sides for durability as this is the one part of the suit that rubs against itself during use.

Smooth Skin Neck Wrist & Ankle Sections
On both the double nylon lined and smooth skin models, for ease of entry exit into the suit these sections are nylon lined on the inside and smooth skin on the outside. The sections are long enough to give the user the option to fold them inside themselves so that there is a layer of smooth skin neoprene compressing against the users skin. This option highly restricts the level of water flushing at these points and should be applied if the user anticipates regular dips into the water. Pioneer report feedback suggestes that the neck seal is drier and more comfortable not folded in on itself. In particular if the seal is on the loose side it is in fact a tighter fit not folded inwards. 

Dry Zip
The good old fashioned construction of alloy teeth compressing onto a rubber/nylon seal. The zip is mounted horizontally across the rear shoulders for minimal interference with movement. It is an extra long 90cm for easy of entry exit.

Knee Pad Reinforcement
To prevent snagging the neoprene whilst rigging, etc.

WHAT THIS SUIT DOES NOT BOTHER HAVING BUILT INTO ITS FABRIC!!!

Titanium – Air chambers – Limestone – Zirconium – Bamboo – Charcoal – Heatlock lining

We highly recommend that a lycra rash vest is well worth investing in to improve the comfort of any winter steamer including this Ianovated suit.

The Ianovated wetsuit is a 5 & 4 mm neoprene suit that is baggy fitting / totally neutral in body and arm length. Its users will get to know what temperature range they are comfortable in with just the suit and rash vest. At lower temperatures users can exploit the baggy fit of the suit by putting on additional layers of clothing underneath the suit and there by tailor make their dress for the temperature of the day.

The designers of this suit truly believe that the flexibility the Ianovated suit offers in terms of wearing extra layers underneath it plus the promise of comfortable warm hands is worth all the titanium mines in the world!!!

The Hand Heating System

This system combines the heat contained in your exhaled breath with the insulating properties of the neoprene wetsuit to transfer that heat to your hands. It integrates with the gloves, mittens or palm-less mittens that you normally wear for your given sport.

Most of the time the user is inhaling/exhaling through his nose but to maintain a comfortable hand temperature will exhale down this hand heating system as often as the conditions demand.

In just 2°c the sportsman may elect to leave the mouth piece in his mouth all the time and exhale down it every 3rd or 4th breath. In the more relaxed winter temperatures of 6 to 10°c the user can leave the mouth piece resting below his chin and flick it into his mouth for a couple of breaths every other minute.

The Mouth Piece

• The mouth piece is much smaller than that of a snorkel to make it easy to put in and out of your mouth at regular intervals whilst doing your sport.
• To allow total free movement ofthe head while the mouth piece is in your mouth the two tubes circle round your head and enter the suit just behind your neck.
• The moulded mouth piece uses an elastic squeeze tight fit over the tubes that pulls apart with minimal force. You therefore have the confidence to know that if the tubes get caught on something the tube/mouth piece loop around your neck wil break apart with out inflicting any harm to you. As the squeeze tight fit of the mouth piece over the tubes is never the same on each side, the mouth piece will let go of one tube but cling to the other and not therefore get lost in the event that this loop is pulled apart.
• When the mouth piece is not in your mouth you can set it so that the tube loop rests over your shoulders and the mouth piece lies against your chest just below your chin. In that position it is out of the way of your water sport activity but can easily and quickly be flipped up into your mouth when required. You ensure this tube mouth piece loop circles around you in this way by twisting the tubes round at their point of entry into the mouth piece and the mouldings on the suit at the back of the neck.

The Tubes and Mouldings to facilitate their entry/exit from the suit.

• This system only works if the tubes run along the inside of the suit exploiting the insulating properties of the wetsuit.
• The system uses standard 11mm external diameter tubing but moulded in black or white although the clear version can be purchased at any DIY store.
• There are four moulding units to facilitate the tubes entry/exit from the suit, behind the neck and at each wrist. Combined they form a partially elastic squeeze tight fit that is:

• water tight under the minimal water pressure at the water’s surface
• but which can be altered so that the length of tube extending out of the suit meets the users requirements – how far it goes into the glove, how large a loop around the neck is
• and the tubing can be removed completely for cleaning or if the hand warming system is not required. The suit comes with 6 (4 + 2 spare) rubber stoppers to plug the holes the tubes leave when removed so that the wetsuit can be used with out the hand heating system.

The Tube into the glove at the wrist

• Upon entering the suit at the back of the neck the two tubes cross over inside the suit and then run along the arms to exit the suit just above the wrist seals.
• At that point there is the silicon moulding around the tube to ensure there are no air gaps either side of the tube at the point it enters the glove. This prevents any cold drafts working inside the glove but still allows exhaled breath to exit the glove after circulating around it.
• The tube enters the glove through the wrist hand entry point, at the back of the hand, so as not to interfere with any hand actions.

This system after you have taken a dip in the water

• while you are in the water, water will creep inside the tubes to the system, especially if the mouth piece is not in your mouth and the water can freely push the air in the system from the wrist end out through the mouth end
• You do not feel the cold water creeping into the tubes and so you therefore do not experience any discomfort
• When you are back up and going again in whatever sport you are doing you can simply blow the water out of the system. The water will seep out through your gloves in just the same way the breath does and you will be surprised by how much the water has warmed up in the short time it was sitting in the tube system.
• for surfers we suggest that you allow the water to enter the system whilst paddling and blow it out and bring your hands back to comfort when waiting for the right wave.

To purchase the Ianovated suit and find out more information check out their website here.